and when i open my eyes, you'll be there
by purinsesu-sereniti
Summary: a collection of anything and everything relating to this manga! mature for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

It was late when he got home.

As usual when he came home late, he did not anticipate anyone to be up- no little voices, no thundering footsteps, and certainly no sweet smiles. And more than that... There would be no gentle laughter, no shy smile, and no soft hands to touch his own. In truth, nights like these were the worst of them all, the ones where he came home to a dark and sleeping house.

Seiji had become quite accustomed to the life he'd lived these last few years with the twins. Once upon a time, he'd thought he'd go mad with trying to care for them... But then, that sweet but shy smile had fallen upon him and something inside of him knew she was special. The day he had met Shiharu had been a day that changed his life for the better. Of course, he'd known she was a teenager, a young girl still yet in school, but he'd brought her on as a babysitter all the same, eventually going as far as giving her a key to their home. He'd caught himself sneaking glances at her, hoping to see her already looking at him. Their age difference had prevented him from delving too far, but unfortunately for him, it didn't seem that it could really be helped.

Not that it mattered much, now.

Three years had passed since then and Seiji found himself coming home to her on a daily basis. It had been only but a month before that he'd invited her to live there, with him... With the twins. Upon her eighteenth birthday, her days at the institution were over, and she had no where else to go. This was a day he'd been waiting for, in truth, a day when he could offer her his home and tell her to call it hers as well. She'd not had a real home since she was but five years old and she deserved it more than anyone else in the world. Besides, the twins adored her and having her there with them all the time was only that much better. There wasn't anything else he loved more than those three, his precious little family that had come so suddenly into his life.

Dropping his belongings onto the table, Seiji smiled as his eyes fell upon the plate of left overs left at his usual place. That was so like her, to leave him his dinner no matter how late it was that he'd come home. Deciding he'd much rather go straight to be then eat, he placed the left overs into the fridge and made his way down the hall, shedding his suit jacket as he went.

Opening the door to the master bedroom, he flipped the light on and it was revealed to him the lovliest sight possible. There, asleep in his bed wasn't just Shiharu as it usually was, but nestled on her either side was the twins. Seiji felt his heart skip a beat as it so often did when he was met with a sight such as this and he silently tred closer to the bed, dropping his suit jacket over his dresser top as he went. Stripping from the rest of his clothing, he changed into pajama bottoms and then, carefully as he could, slipped into bed with the three. Neither of the twins stirred as he slid into place, being the heavy sleepers that they were, but Shiharu murmured softly as he shifted Aoi to a more comfortable place between them. "Sorry to wake you..." He whispered as she turned her head towards him, her sleepy-eyed gaze bright in the hazy lamplight.

"You're late," she whispered back, one arm over her head as she stretched, a yawn keeping her from speaking on for a few more seconds. "You said you'd be home by ten." She went on, her gaze piercing, and Seiji offered her an apologetic smile. "You're working too hard."

"So are you," he shot back with a grin as she blushed beneath his words. She had been working incredibly hard this last month since school had ended, her entire focus on the daycare center she was building from the ground up. Taking the twins with her every day, she over saw everything, from hiring two addtional teachers and planning every moment of every day that the children would experience. This had been her dream since childhood and Seiji felt honored to be able to stand beside her as she finally accomplished that dream. "You were up just as late last night." She blushed again and turned away, resting her hand atop Akane's head as the little girl snuggled just a bit closer to her side. "What's with them, anyways?" It wasn't often that the five-year-olds slept in bed with them, citing that they were much too big for such things anymore.

"They insisted on watching a scary tv show, it gave them nightmares. They were in here by ten thirty." Shiharu's soft laugh brought a smile to his face and at once Seiji was imagining her calming their tears and fears with but a simple touch. She had that ability, to calm even the loudest of tantrums, even the darkest of fears. Unable to help himself, he reached out to touch her cheek, drawing her gaze back to his. "Seiji...?" Hearing her voice speak his name sent chills down his spine and he fought to keep his face from betraying the emotions rushing through him.

Just how had he become so lucky?

"Get some sleep, love," he finally whispered, his fingers tracing the curve of her cheek one last time before he reached over to turn off the lamp. Plunging the room back into darkness, he felt the movements of Aoi between them, heard Akane's soft breathing, and he knew without a doubt... There was no place he'd rather be.


	2. Chapter 2 - proposal rewrite

The box was so incredibly small, Shiharu was having a hard time deciding what could possibly be inside of it. She felt shivers of anticipation rushing through her as she looked up at Seiji, who was looking somewhat flushed as he waited for her to open the gift. Well, there was nothing else to do but to push back the lid and see what was inside...

Everything came to a halt as she gazed down at the twinkling diamonds of the ring, small but so elegantly designed that she knew it would be perfect upon her own small hand. But this... For her? She shut the box immediately, blinking fast as she reopened it and then shut it again. "It's going to be the same no matter how many times you open it." Seiji chuckled, his voice bringing her back, and Shiharu looked up at him with wide eyes. And so she reopened the ring box, unable to tear her eyes away from Seiji's face. He grinned back at her, his smile sheepish as he ran a hand through his disheveled hair.

"But this... This looks expensive..." Her words trailed off as she fought to find the right ones to say. Hundreds of thoughts were racing through her mind, hundreds of different thoughts and feelings that she couldn't seem to grasp. "This isn't something so easily accepted..." Seiji had another chuckle at her expense as she looked up to meet his gaze, her eyes full of the very same emotions he was feeling.

"I know..." He said softly, his lips curving with a smile as he looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry to surprise you like this, Nakamura-san." He paused again, wondering how far he could take this. Part of him was screaming to stop, to take it all back, to return things to how they had always been. But the other part of him, his heart, was telling him to take the plunge. "I love you." The words fell from his lips before he could stop them and they fell between them like a bomb, her eyes widening even further as if she was registering the meaning behind them. But she did not speak, did not even change her expression as she stared back at him, the little ring box still clutched in her hands. Had she not... Had she not understood him? "Ahh... Nakamura-san, shall I say it again?"

Shall I say it again...? Nakamura-san, I love you...

His words were repeating over and over inside her head; there on the carpeted floor, kneeling across from one another, Matsunaga-san was confessing to her the depth of his feelings, was confessing to her the truth of his heart, but she could not find any words to say. Instead, she began to laugh, her face stained crimson with embarrassment. "Wh-what..." Was all she could finally mumble, her grip on the ring box tightening slightly. And then it hit her, fast and hard, just what Matsunaga-san was saying to her. "Wait, WHAT?" She nearly shouted as she jumped up to her feet, pacing back and forth in a daze as she tried to comprehend all that had just happened. "It's not a dream..." She mumbled as she pinched her own cheek, the sharp pain reminding her of the reality she was in.

"Look, Nakamura-san, maybe you should sit down." Seiji said with a chuckle, rising up to draw her back down, placing her back in the spot she'd been in moments before. When she was settled back into place, he offered her a smile, his tender feelings only increasing for her in this moment. "I'm telling you this now, even though you might be a little put off by it... But..." He trailed off, wanting nothing more than to reach for her, to hold her as he had done one or two times in the past. "But I think I have loved you since the first time I saw you." He could recall that moment as freshly as if it had been the day before, not two years ago. That day he'd seen her with the twins clutching onto her, the only person he had ever seen that close to them in all the time he had been with them. And then she had turned to see him there in the doorway, with her sweet, but shy smile, each of her hands placed upon one of the twin's soft, downy heads. Seiji had never believed in love at first sight, at least not until that very moment.

Is this a dream... Shiharu could not help but wonder to herself as she listened closely to the words Seiji was speaking. Like him, she too could remember their first meeting as if it were yesterday, so profound it had been. He had come into the daycare to pick up the twins, the two little ones she'd found herself drawn to more than any of the others. He had come through the door in his nice looking suit and tired eyes, his expression turning to shock when his gaze had fallen upon her there with the twins. She had known them to be a little emotional, crying constantly and never taking a liking to anyone at all. But they had warmed up to her from the moment they'd met and Shiharu had found herself to be quite taken with them as well.

"Nakamura-san, you seem way more mature than any of the high school kids that I know, and that's why sometimes I forget about our age gap." He went on, speaking the words he'd been thinking of all these years with her. "Whenever I'm with you, I feel warm." Memories filtered through his mind, images of their time together that he would never, ever forget. "I feel so happy that I could burst." He watched as the blush returned to her face and he felt his heart skip a beat. "I don't think in the future I could ever meet someone more important to me than you." In that instant, she felt a rush of warmth through her whole body, the feeling of a tight embrace around her. And that was when she began to cry.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, hands up to try and wipe the steady flow of tears away from her eyes, but to no avail. "I didn't expect you to tell me something like this." She cried, still making every attempt to stem the steady flow of tears. And then she felt it, the soft touch of his hand against her skin, and she opened her eyes to find he had moved closer to her. Seiji was reaching out, his warm, but gentle touch brushing the last of her tears from her lashes, his smile full of warmth and love. "I'm so happy." She whispered her own truth, finally admitting to him what she had felt all along. She loved him too.

"That's great," he said as relief spread through him, finally hearing what he had always longed to hear. She wasn't put off by his confession, she wasn't frightened by him, she was happy. She loved him back, surely is what she meant. "But, Nakamura-san, being with you these last two years have reconfirmed my thoughts..." She looked up at him then, her beautiful eyes shimmering like gems in the lamplight. "Your situation has forced you to become more mature than others your age, that's why you try so hard not to be selfish and act more like an adult." He thought back to all the times he'd witnessed her like that- putting everyone else before herself. In truth, Seiji wasn't sure she had ever been selfish even once in her young life. "But actually, true to your age, you're still just a teenage kid. When I realized that, you were so dear to me, as if you're a part of my family..." He stopped, shaking his head. "If only I were a bit younger, if only we were closer in age than these feelings might not be so complicated." Seiji had to continually remind himself that she was just a kid, mature or not, she was only seventeen.

Wait... Was I just... Was I just gently rejected? Shiharu's mind was going a mile a minute again, her every thought racing so rapily through her mind she couldn't keep up. Had he just confessed his feelings to her, only to now be rejecting her because of her age? Because she was still just a "kid"? This wasn't possible, this wasn't truly real... Was it?

"With that being said... i'd like to talk about the future."

Seiji's words brought her back to reality and she blinked, gazing at him with what he could only describe as thoroughly confused. He supposed he was to blame for that, handing her a diamond ring and confessing he loved her, only to call her a child. "Nakamura-san, you're going to grow up and meet a lot of people, experience a lot of new things...And at that moment, when you reach my age now.. Would you please see me with mature eyes? Would you please have me then?" His heart was hammering hard within his chest, his eyes never once leaving hers as he spoke the words within his heart. "If you wish to have me then, I'd like to start our relationship."

Shiharu continued to listen to him speak, allowing the words to imprint upon her own heart. She had never once, not ever, expected Matsunaga-san to feel the same way about her as she felt about him. In all her life, she'd never experienced feelings such as this, and had certainly not expected another to feel the same for her. It left her feeling warm and dizzy, a feeling she never wanted to lose.

"This ring... is my selfish desire to show you that no matter how long I have to wait, my feelings will never change for you." He twisted his hands in his lap as he went on, knowing very well that this precious girl might not want to wait her whole life for him. He wouldn't blame her, of course. Looking down, he found himself unable to face her now, in case he heard the words he didn't want to hear. "If you don't want it, you can just pawn it... Use it for supporting your everyday life..."

"No!"

Her sharp response cut him off and pulled his gaze back to her face. "No... I mean, I'd never do that." Her smile brightened her features and Seiji felt the warmth flooding his own cheeks. He'd never grow tired of that smile. Not ever. "But... that's ten years..."

"I know. I'll be waiting." He answered with a grin, his eyes finding hers yet again. "I'll be patiently waiting, but I won't complain if you reject me then." There was nothing more he wanted to do but to pull her into his arms, to hold her closer than he'd ever held her before, but he knew better. If her parents had been there still, they would have wanted her to experience life first, to meet as many new people as she could before she settled down with the first man that confessed his love for her. He would wait for her, regardless of the outcome, because he loved her that much.

"But... I think..." She trailed off, searching for the right words to say when they both heard the door slide open, and a little voice broke into the silence. Nearly leaping from her skin, Shiharu jumped to her feet, stumbling in her haste to reach Aoi. "I'll take him!" She volunteered, taking the boy by the hand to lead him back out of the room and down the hall into the bathroom. As the child did his business, Shiharu sat on the floor, rocking back and forth on her hunches as she thought about all that had just occurred. She had almost told him, she had almost told him the truth about her own feelings... Part of her still wanted to confess, to say the words aloud, but now that they'd been interrupted, she wasn't certain she could find a way to do it. All her bravery seemed to have vanished the moment Aoi opened the door.

Returning Aoi to his bed, Shiharu tiptoed back to Seiji, who remained exactly where she had left him. "It's late," he said when she entered, his lips curving with a smile. "Let me walk you home." She stood there in the door way, staring back at him with a smile of her own, knowing that from here on out... Everything was going to change. And not just because of his confession of love. Soon the twins would be leaving them and they'd have to find a semblance of normalcy in their lives without them.

As they walked in silence along the sidewalk, Shiharu was quite aware of the way his arm brushed against hers, the way he slowed his long stride to keep pace with her own. They had walked this path hundreds of times together, but she had never once noticed how he tweaked his own walk to stay on pace with hers. "Here we are..." Seiji said as they came to stand before the gate to the institution where she lived. "I'll be patiently waiting for your answer." He said with a grin, before he nodded a goodbye and turned to go, knowing without a doubt he'd wait the rest of his life if he had to.

There was nothing else in all his life he'd wait for but her, after all.


	3. Chapter 3 - Future Proposal

Shiharu couldn't believe he was making her wait like this.

The first night they had to spend together in weeks and Seiji was still at work. And while she tried to be patient, tried not to get upset with him, she simply couldn't help it. Between his hours at the station and her own time at the day care center, it felt like they never got to see one another at all. Despite living together under the same roof, it seemed like one of them was always coming when the other was going. So tonight, the first night she'd had away from the center in weeks, they had specifically set aside the time to be together. In fact, Seiji had been the one to bring it up, and he still had the audacity to be late.

It was as her finger hovered over the dial button on her cell phone when she heard the jiggle of the key in the lock and at once her heart leapt into her throat- despite all their years together, despite the time spent with him, he always sent her heart fluttering. Rising up from the kitchen table, she turned towards the doorway as he stepped inside, well dressed in his suit from work. "Welcome home," she said in a voice she hoped sounded much more cheery than she really felt. Though she felt annoyed and put off at his tardiness, she didn't want to let that spoil the mood of the rest of the evening.

As he came into the room, the first thing he noticed (besides how beautiful she looked) was how irritated she looked. Seiji could not help but to smile at her expense, his love for her growing in that moment; he loved how hard she tried to avoid showing her feelings when they were negative, despite his many tries at getting her to always be honest with him. He had expected her to be a little angry with him for being late, but considering he'd done it on purpose, he supposed he'd have to make it up to her. Which he would, he thought with a grin as a tremor of anticipation rushed through him.

If only she knew what was coming.

"I'm sorry I'm late, sweetheart. My meeting ran late," he pressed a kiss to her mouth, to her jaw, and then against her throat, the sound in her throat telling him she wasn't so angry with him now that he held her in his arms. "Just let me change and we can go." She gave a little nod and allowed him to slip away from her, watching him as he escaped to their bedroom, where he quickly changed from his work suit into something nice, but a little more casual. When he returned to the kitchen, she was tugging on her white wool coat over the little black dress she wore, one he'd never seen before that moment. "You look beautiful," he said as he watched her fasten the buttons closed, her cheeks stained crimson. She so rarely wore makeup, what with her line of work (not that she needed it, of course) that it was always a surprise when she did herself up like that. "Come on then, let's go." He offered her his arm and together they went out the door and to Shiharu's surprise, a limo sat waiting. "A special treat," Seiji grinned when she turned to look at him with wide eyes, her brow arched ever so slightly in her confusion. "Come on then." He tugged her down the drive and the driver opened the door for them and then shutting it behind them.

"This seems like a lot just for us to go to dinner," Shiharu commented as they drove off, not that she was complaining of course, she was just surprised. "I've never been in a limousine before," she went on, trailing her hand along the expanse of soft, plush seat between them. "Thank you." She found herself to be grinning widely, now that the shock had subsided, and instead excitement was taking root.

In the two years that had passed since their coming together, many things had changed, and yet at the same time it felt like nothing really had changed. They lived together of course, that was different, but she welcomed him home as she had once done with the twins as often as she could. She would cook his meals and sometimes Seiji would surprise her by cooking instead. Never in all her life had she been as happy as she was now, living with Seiji and running her own daycare center. There wasn't much that could make life better, in truth.

They went on with the night- enjoying a wonderful meal (and a few drinks) at an upscale place in the city. When they had finished their meals, Seiji had taken her by the arm and led her down the street towards the park, where together they could marvel at all of the beautiful Christmas lights strung up all around. It had even begun to snow by the time they'd reached the center of the park where the large Christmas tree stood. "Oh, it's beautiful," Shiharu breathed as she stared up at the tree, so focused on the beautiful lights she hadn't even noticed Seiji stepping away from her.

With Shiharu distracted, Seiji stepped back and slipped his phone from his pocket, typing a quick message before placing it back. He glanced to his left and sure enough, there down the parkway were two small forms shrouded in darkness. "Shiharu," he softly called out to her as the two figures approached and the young woman turned, her eyes shining in the light as they caught sight of the figures as well. Seiji could not help but to smile as he watched the scene unfold before his very eyes.

At first, she didn't speak, but rather let her mouth open and then close, words unable to form as the twins came closer. "Aoi... Akane..." She barely dared to speak their names aloud, in fear they'd vanish the moment she did. But they didn't and instead, they were smiling too, rocking back and forth on their heels as they fought the urge to run at her. "You're here...?" She mumbled, confusion replacing her joy at the sight of their little faces. It had been far too long since she'd last seen them and while they spoke on the phone nearly every day, it just wasn't the same. But why were they so suddenly here? And where were their grandparents? Nothing about this made much sense at all. As she turned to face Seiji, she realized he had moved, and now came to stand before the twins, each one of them taking their places at his sides. "Seiji, what's... What's going on...?"

Watching her joy and then surprise was a delight to Seiji, but he knew what was to come next would be even better than anything had ever been. Though nerves wracked his heart and mind, he knew there was nothing left for him to do but to just do it. And so, there with the twins at his side, Seiji dropped to a knee before her, one hand extended with a small box clutched in his palm. With his other hand, he pulled back the top of the box, revealing to her the ring nestled in the silk- a ring he'd spent months and months looking for, a ring he'd only selected the week before. He heard her soft gasp and grinned up at her as he fought to speak the words he'd practiced hundreds of times in his head that day. "Shiharu... I told you seven years ago that I would wait for you... I think I've waited long enough." She choked on a laugh as tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill over. "Please, say you'll marry me." Beside him, the twins both put their hands into pleading gestures, their grins as bright as the Christmas lights twinkling around them. "Say it, Nakamura-san," he could not help but to use the name he'd once called her, the name he'd said that day he'd confessed to her the depth of his true feelings. That same ring he'd given to her that day was the one she already wore.

She couldn't believe this was happening, but she was so glad that it was.

As tears streamed down her cheeks, Shiharu fought to speak, fought to say the words she'd longed to say all these years. "Yes... Yes, of course I will! " She laughed as Seiji jumped to his feet, taking her into his arms as the twins danced and cheered around them. When he pulled back, it was to slip her old ring off her finger and replace it with the new one. Before she could inspect it closer, she felt the warmth of two little bodies throwing their arms around her, and she laughed as she drew the twins as close as she could. "I can't believe you guys kept this a secret from me!" She recalled Aoi nearly spilling the beans about something earlier that week, but Akane had cut him off before he could. Shiharu had merely thought they were talking of Christmas, certainly not something as big as this. "I'm so happy you're here," she whispered as she held them close, recalling the days where they'd been small enough for her to hold, when they'd been nothing more than wiggling toddlers with beaming smiles. They were growing up faster than she could keep up. There was nothing Seiji could have done to make this moment more special for her than what he had done. Having the twins there to witness, to be a part of the proposal made it the best that it could have ever been.

Rising back up, she turned back to face Seiji, who was smiling as she watched her interactions with the twins. He had known from the moment he'd first saw them with her that she was special. Had you asked him ten years ago if he believed in love at first sight, he would have said no. But Seiji knew... He knew he'd fallen in love with her the moment he had laid eyes upon her smiling face. Reaching out, he took her by the hand and drew it to his lips, kissing her knuckles, never once breaking his gaze from hers. He would never, ever tire of looking into those beautiful eyes of hers. And now...

Now, he got to do it forever.


	4. Chapter 4 - For Krys 3

The twins were gone and she was heartbroken.

Of course, she tried her best to keep a brave face on, to smile at them as she bid them both goodbye. She had hugged their little bodies as tightly as she dared and then she let them go, watching as they were loaded into their grandparent's car and driven away. She knew it was what was best for them- that's all she wanted, after all- but she could not help but to feel despair at the loss of them. No more would there be after school cuddles. Never again would she cook them a meal and wash their little faces when they'd finished. There would be no more bath time laughter as they splashed away in the tub. No late night stories that would leave both of them curled up and snoring against her legs.

It broke her heart to think about a life without the twins presence, enough so that she missed both school and work for two whole days. She remained secluded in her bedroom, the blankets pulled up over her head, lost in her own sorrow. She cried endless tears, soaking her pillow hour after hour as she let out her pain. After all these years, she felt she finally had a family, finally had a place in the world... But now... It was gone.

And then to think about not seeing Matsunaga-san... It pained her in a way so unlike the loss of the twins. His warm smile, his gentle touch... His sweet words... All of those things she would miss about him. And so many more. Despite their difference in age, she had always felt a closeness to him that she couldn't really explain. She had feelings for him that she knew would never go away, no matter how much time passed. Of course, she knew he would move on from her with ease- why wouldn't he after all? No matter how kind Matsunaga-san had been to her over their time together, she knew he was in a world all his own. Surrounded by beautiful women his own age, Shiharu did not expect to compete. But, to have pretended... Even just for another day, it would have made her so very happy.

She heard it then, the soft _bzzt bzzt_ as her phone buzzed with a text message, though she chose to ignore it as she had been the last few days. It was work, most likely, wondering if she'd be out again that night. She knew it was selfish, knew it wasn't right, but Shiharu couldn't help but to roll over onto her other side, putting her back to the door. She wasn't going to look at it, not right then at least. No, she just didn't have the energy to go back to the daycare knowing the twins weren't going to be there. She just wasn't ready for that.

[ x x x ]

"Not here?"

"No, I'm sorry Matsunaga-san, she's been out a few days now..." The woman that ran the day care said with a sympathetic look towards him. Of course, she knew why, as did Seiji but he had not thought about the twins leaving affecting her in such a way that she'd miss work. Thanking the woman for her time, Seiji stepped back out into the night, silently cursing himself for not reaching out sooner. And now the twins had been gone for three days, how could he just speak to her like nothing had happened? The thing that once tied them together was gone and it hurt him more than he had ever expected.

In truth, he'd grown fond of the young woman he'd hired to take care of the twins; from the sweet, warm smile she had always greeted him with... Her gentle ways with the twins that always surprised him... Her dark and somber eyes, eyes of someone much older and wiser than her seventeen years. Shiharu had wedged herself into his heart, without even trying, and now he found he simply couldn't let her go. No longer was fond the right word to describe his feelings for her, no... Seiji alone knew the truth of his own heart:

He loved her.

It didn't matter that she was seventeen. It didn't matter that they had only known one another for a year. Nothing mattered but her. Even if she told him she had no thoughts for him at all, even if she'd told him that she hadn't even thought of him once since the twins had left... None of that mattered. If she was happy, he was happy. And Seiji knew he couldn't go on living if he didn't at least tell her how he felt. So, that was what he was going to do. Pulling out his phone, he selected her name from his contacts and typed a quick, short message, clicking send before he could stop himself.

As he approached his home, he was surprised to see someone standing outside on the front step. It took him only a moment to realize who it was and his heart skipped a beat as it always did when he caught sight of her beautiful face. "Nakamura-san," he murmured as he approached her, his eyes widening as she turned around to face him. All the words he'd thought of saying to her were gone and he found himself to be utterly speechless now that she was there before him. How was it possible that he'd done nothing but think of her for three days now, only to come home and discover her there on his doorstep? It was fate. It had to be.

"Matsunaga-san." She greeted with her soft, sweet smile, reaching a hand up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He came up the walk to stand before her, not yet speaking, and she had to wonder if she'd made a mistake in coming there. "I'm sorry to bother you like this, it's just I thought... I thought I'd return this." She extended out a hand, dropping into his the little silver key he'd given her some months ago. Suddenly, her feet became very interesting and she stared down at them without another word. "I should go..." She finally whispered, pushing past him onto the walk, but she felt his hand upon her own, tugging her back to face him there on the front steps.

"Don't go, Nakamura-san." Seiji heard himself ask, his hand trembling slightly though it gripped hers tightly. "Don't go." He repeated softly, drawing her back up the steps to stand just outside the front door. Shiharu was staring at him with those wide, dark eyes of hers and he felt his heart melting at the sight of them. But then her lips were curving with a smile and Seiji felt her squeeze his hand back, a silent vow to remain there with him. It could have been ten seconds, or even ten thousand years that they stood there on his front porch, but finally something told him to bring her back inside the house that had been as good as hers for the last year. Opening the door, he drew her along with him, down the hall and into the dining room, where he'd seen her sitting with the twins hundreds of times. Memories came at him from every direction- the time he'd been sick and she had nursed him back to health; when she had admitted to him of the broken cup; or even the embrace they'd shared upon her learning the twins would be leaving. There were so many of them to look back upon and smile, for even those memories alone were more precious than anything else.

Now that they stood there inside the confines of four walls, he felt safer, felt more at ease within the room that they had already shared so much inside. "Keep it." The words left his lips without another thought as he pressed the silver key back into her hand. "It's yours, didn't I tell you that?" He grinned down at her, watching with joy as her own smile blossomed, a crimson glow to her cheeks. "I want you to always have that key, Nakamura-san." Seiji found the ability to speak again and so he plunged on, before she left him speechless yet again. "I know the twins are gone but I don't want that to end what we..." This time he paused, shaking his head for he did not know how to put to words their relationship. "I don't ever want to lose you," he finally admitted, reaching out a hand to cup her cheek into his palm, the warmth of her skin like the kiss of the sun.

Shiharu could not believe her ears.

Of all things, she had never expected Matsunaga-san to say these words, though they were the words she'd always been longing to hear. She had always thought him as an unattainable goal, a sophisticated man who would have no time for a girl such as herself. And yet... It sounded like he was... It sounded like Matsunaga-san was _confessing_ his feelings for her. For her! He had given her back the house key and told her he wanted her to have it, that he _always_ wanted her to have it. Within her chest, her heart was hammering hard and she took a deep breath to steady herself, looking up into his eyes as his hand came to her cheek. "Matsunaga-san..."

"You can tell me to leave you alone and I will." He drew his hand back but was surprised when she reached for it, threading her small fingers through his. Was this her way of telling him she didn't want him to leave her alone? "I will wait for you as long as you want, even if it's forever." There was nothing he'd not do for her, there was nothing he would not promise her. Just to be with her, he would do anything at all, pay any price, any cost. She was his reason to live, the light of his life.

A new feeling was welling up within her- a warm feeling she could only associate with the feeling of being loved. It was a feeling she had of course experienced before, with her both her mother and the twins, but this feeling... It was similar, yet different all the same. But it left her feeling safe and content, her heart swelling with it as she looked into his eyes and knew he would never let her down. She would never have to doubt his love and his feelings, that much she knew with just one single look into his eyes. "I don't want you to wait." She said softly, giving his hand another gentle squeeze, as if she could put all of her thoughts and feelings into that one single grip on his hand.

Those were the only words he needed to hear.

His heart told him what it was that he needed to do next and so without another thought, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. For a single moment she stiffened, surprised perhaps, but then she yielded to his kiss as his arms wound around her slim frame. When he drew back a few inches, his lips hovering above her own, he felt the curve of them as she smiled, a soft little giggle escaping her. "Nakamura-san... Stay with me." He slid a hand into her hair as he kissed her again, a stronger kiss that stole the very breath from her chest. It was then that he vowed to himself to always protect her, to always insure her happiness, no matter the cost, for she was what was most precious to him.

[ x x x ]

When Shiharu returned home that night, it was with Matsunaga's key still clutched tightly in her hand. Even now, hours later, she could still taste him upon her lips, could still feel the warmth of his palms as they grazed her body. His touch had been gentle, his kiss sweet, but they both had still left her reeling. As she slipped from her clothes, she set aside her phone that she'd been ignoring all day and pulled on pajamas. It was only when she dropped down onto her bed that she picked up her phone, rifling through the missed calls and voicemails from the daycare- she made a mental note to call first thing in the morning and apologize for her behavior. But then she saw the message notification and so she clicked it, thinking it must have been from Rio, who she also owed an apology to. She blinked and then felt tears welling in her eyes as a wide smile bloomed upon her lips. It was from Matsunaga-san, a message he must have sent to her when he'd left work that day, less than an hour before they'd met there at the house. It was as if fate had wanted to bring them together that day, for she'd not even read the message before walking the short distance it was from the orphanage to his home. _I want to see you, Nakamura-san,_ he'd written to her, his words simple yet full of meaning. Six simple words that meant everything to her.

Reading the message again, she held the phone close to her chest for a single moment, before striking several keys, messaging him back. And then she lay back on her pillows only after reaching over to turn off her bedside lamp, casting her bedroom into darkness. It took only a moment longer before she heard the soft vibrations against the table and knew that he'd responded. Blinking against the bright white screen, Shiharu could not help but to smile again as she read his message, another simple yet beautiful message she'd carry with her always.

 _Good night, my love._


	5. Chapter 5

He hated himself for having these feelings.

 _She's the babysitter, she's only seventeen!_ He told himself these things every single time the indecent thoughts began to surface. Which was far too often. But how could he help himself when the girl was there every time he turned around. He'd catch her at the stove, big apron wrapped around her slim frame, a smile on her face as she made oatmeal for the twins in the morning. Or if he managed to get home before dinner time, she'd be there serving a hot meal to the kitchen table, greeting him with that beautiful smile of hers and a "Welcome home, Matsunaga-san!" She had become a part of his daily routine, a part of his life that he'd never known he even needed until he had her. But what had once felt like fond feelings for a young woman had begun to develop into something else, something so much stronger than any feeling ever had been.

Truth was, Seiji loved her.

He couldn't really pinpoint the day he realized his feelings had crossed the threshold into love. It had been some weeks ago, perhaps the day he'd come home late and found her asleep on the futon with the twins. She had left a plate of dinner for him on the kitchen table and must have drifted off during story time when the twins had fallen asleep themselves. They had been a tangle of limbs and blankets, a precious sight he'd hated to interrupt. Or perhaps it had been the day she'd cried because her cup had broken. That had at least been the day he'd realized how important his little family was to her. Now, his only thought was to express to her just how important _she_ was to him.

As Seiji came through the front door, the first thing he realized was it was too quiet.

Pushing away the instinct to call out, he closed the door as quietly as he could and left his shoes in the walkway as he tiptoed down the hall. The kitchen was empty, as was the den, which told him they must have been in the twin's bedroom. Sure enough, he pushed open the ajar door, only to find Shiharu there on the pallet, both twins tucked against her legs as they slept. She looked up, surprise reflected in her dark eyes before she broke with a radiant smile. Relief rushed through him at the sight and he felt his heart skip a beat as it always did when she smiled at him like that. Seiji realized then he would never grow tired of that sight. Putting a finger to her lips, Shiharu gently untangled herself from the twins and rose up, padding across the floor to him, pulling the door closed behind them. "You're early, Matsunaga-san!" She said when they were out of earshot of the twin's bedroom, her smile returning. "Here, let me fix you something to eat!"

Seiji couldn't say why he did what he did next, but the moment simply felt right. Reaching out, he grasped her wrist and pulled her back towards him, taking her into his arms without a single word. "Ma-Matsunaga-san?" Her voice was tiny, muffled against his chest as he held as tightly as he dared to her, amazed at how perfectly she fit against him. She did not push him away and she did not voice a word of discomfort at his actions, rather Seiji felt her own arms loop around his waist.

"Nakamura-san..." He murmured softly, catching her attention, and he looked down at her as she tilted her head back, big brown eyes wide in her face. There were hundreds of things he could have said in this moment, but none of them would do. None of them could express the thoughts running rampant inside his brain, and since actions seemed to be working in his favor today, he did the only other thing that made any sense: he kissed her. It was a soft kiss, a gentle kiss, quite unlike any he'd ever given before. Seiji could only hope that it spoke to her in ways that his words never could. She stiffened in his arms for only a moment, surprised perhaps, but then he felt her relax beneath his grip. And then, she was kissing him back.

She had been waiting for this moment for months, but had never truly thought it would come. How would Matsunaga-san ever see her as anything but the teenage babysitter for the twins? Not when he lived in the fast paced world of adults, where stylish, beautiful women were surely at his beck and call. How could a girl such as herself ever compete? But, Shiharu had caught him glancing at her, had felt his warm hands on her skin a few times... Never like this, but enough to give her a little bit of hope. Childish hope, she called it, just something she couldn't let go of. But now... In this moment, when Matsunaga-san had taken her into his arms, she had felt something entirely different. And then he kissed her. He _kissed_ her. Shiharu would not have believed it, had it not been happening right then and there.

He broke the kiss then, drawing back with wide, shocked eyes. "Nakamura-san, I'm sorry... I shouldn't..." He trailed off, feeling heat rise into his cheeks, realizing how forward his actions had been. He could have frightened her, ruined whatever was growing between them, all because he couldn't help himself. She was a kid, he never should have done what he had just done, no matter how mature she was, no matter how strongly he felt about her. But when he turned his head back to look at her, she was grinning, her brown eyes shining in the light.

"Don't apologize, Matsunaga-san." She said simply, her own true feelings coming out in the moment. Though her own heart was beating fiercely, she stood on tiptoe, pressing her lips against his as he had done moments ago. _I'm kissing him, I'm kissing Matsunaga-san!_ She thought to herself as he reacted, the kiss she offered him deepening as his arms came back around her. Everything about this moment felt right. Shiharu could feel his tongue as it hesitantly made contact with her lips and she opened her mouth to him, unsure how she knew what to do when she'd never done any of this before. It all just felt so natural with Matsunaga-san, despite it being her first real kiss.

It only took him several moments of being locked in that passionate kiss to realize where it was heading, and he wasn't going to do that to her. Not yet. And so, he pulled back, sliding his hands into her hair as he peered down into her eyes, amazed at how softly the strands were beneath his touch. He had so many things that he wanted to say to her, so many thoughts and feelings he wanted to make known, but perhaps those were better saved for another night. He smiled down at her, pressing one single kiss to her forehead, holding there for several moments before he finally let her go. She was bright-eyed and blushing as she slipped away to the counter, where she picked up a covered plate of dinner and turned back around to face him, grinning again. "Let me make you something to eat," she said simply, her brown eyes finding his as he nodded, taking his usual place at the kitchen table as she bounced around to warm up his food.

That was when he realized it, he would marry her someday.

Someday, he would come home from work and she would be there, but this time her last name would be his. Someday, he would come home from work and there would be children that weren't the twins nestled in her arms. Someday, he would come home from work and she would be asleep in a bed that they called theirs.

That was all he really wanted.


End file.
